Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen correspondent: The US vetoed a UNSC resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, arguing it does not condemn Hamas nor grant "Israel" the right to “self-defense.”
Israeli occupation forces issue a new bombing threat against civilian buildings in the Southern Lebanese towns of Borj Qalaouiye and Chehabiyeh.
Sources to Al Mayadeen: Extending the snapback mechanism deadline will test how independent Europeans truly are from the US.
Sources to Al Mayadeen: Activating the snapback mechanism will nullify the Cairo Agreement, shut the door on cooperation between the IAEA and Tehran, and bar inspections.
Sources to Al Mayadeen: The diplomatic window remains open, but signs of activating the snapback sanctions mechanism on Iran are increasing.
Sources to Al Mayadeen: Although the Cairo Agreement meets an important part of European demands, they have begun speaking of new conditions in recent communications.
Sources to Al Mayadeen: European countries show no independence in their stance toward Iran during the talks.
Israeli occupation forces issued bombing threats to bomb civilian buildings in Southern Lebanon.
Israeli media: Person behind shooting operation at Allenby Crossing is a Jordanian Army soldier.
Israeli media citing Emergency Services: Both wounded in Allenby shooting operation now dead.

WTO: US tariffs violate global trade rules, US: you have no power here

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 9 Dec 2022 23:03
4 Min Read

WTO ruling finds that US tariffs on aluminum and steel imports introduced in 2018 violate global trade rules and US rejects the finding

  • x
  • asdsad
    Trump introduced tariffs on imported steel and aluminum in 2018 (CGTN)

The World Trade Organization (WTO) dubbs US tariffs on steel and aluminum imports introduced by the US during the term of former President Donald Trump as a breach of global trade rules and calls Washington to backtrack on its measures.

The case was brought forward against the US by China, Switzerland, Norway and Turkey, while Russian and Indian cases are still pending.

Read more: US using tariffs as weapon, punishment against Russia

Trump claimed then that the tariffs were imposed due to "national security" reasons, however, the WTO slammed the allegations stating that the border taxes did not come "at a time of war or other emergency."

To balance the bilateral trade deficit, the US, under the Trump administration, raised taxes on select Chinese imports in 2018. The following year, both countries traded multiple rounds of retaliatory tariffs. The Trump administration and the Chinese government inked a two-year trade agreement known as Phase One in January 2020.

Washington said that it "strongly rejects" the "flawed" findings, stressing that it will not revoke or change the measures.

Read more: Biden suspends US steel tariffs on Ukraine for a year

The Assistant US Trade Representative Adam Hodge said Following the ruling that Washington "strongly rejects" the "flawed" findings, stressing that it will not revoke or change the measures.

"The Biden administration is committed to preserving US national security by ensuring the long-term viability of our steel and aluminium industries," Hodge said.

Hodge stressed that the US policy for over 70 years states that, "issues of national security cannot be reviewed in WTO dispute settlement and the WTO has no authority to second guess the ability of a WTO member to respond to a wide range of threats to its security."

China called on the US to, "correct its wrongful conducts as soon as possible," and respect the ruling.  

Related News

Israeli media: US betrayed Qatar, gave green light for attack on Hamas

Pentagon spends $10.8bln on 25 classified weapons to counter China

The United States is able to appeal, however, the WTO Appellate Body has been blocked since Trump's term, which hinders Washington in a legal dilemma unable to deliver its appeal.

Read more: Macron slams IRA subsidies on first day of state visit to Washington

Hodge said that his country will not "stand idly by" as its steel and aluminum industry is threatened by China's overcapacity, calling the threats a "national security" concern.

"We do not intend to remove the Section 232 duties as a result of these disputes," the US official said in a statement.

The US Steel Manufacturers Association also criticized the WTO ruling and declared support for Washington's decision to reject the ruling.

In 2018, Trump imposed 10% tariffs on aluminium and 25% on steel, under Section 232 of a 1962 act that permits the nation's leader to regulate imports if they become a threat to national security.

The US backtracked on previously imposed EU tariffs, which brought Brussels to pull the union's case against the United States at the WTO, however, 

US President Joe Biden said last May that the issue of removing the Trump-era trade tariffs imposed on Chinese imports was "under consideration" in light of the spiraling inflation mainly caused by Western sanctions against Russia.

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen asked then the administration to eliminate some tariffs, stressing the harm they do to US consumers and businesses.

Tariffs on Chinese imports have been a source of dispute within the Biden administration for months, with Yellen being a vocal supporter of the move. The US Treasury Secretary feels that lifting tariffs is an effective way to reduce inflation in the country, despite rising energy and food prices.

This view is disputed by US Trade Representative Katherine Tai and other officials who see tariffs as part of a broader US plan to address China's trade practices.

Bernd Lange, a member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) and the chair of the European Parliament's Committee on International Trade, stated on December 4 that the European Union should lodge a complaint with the World Trade Organization (WTO) against the US regarding the contentious Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

According to the lawmaker, the measure would make it very evident that Washington's activities are against WTO regulations.

  • US
  • China
  • aluminum tariffs
  • WTO
  • steel tariffs
  • Donald Trump
  • European Union

Most Read

Why is Choose Love using a firm with British and US intelligence connections to run a pro-Palestine musical event? (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)

Together for Palestine: Troubling questions about the organisers of this huge event

  • Opinion
  • 17 Sep 2025
Uprising against Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council over Gaza.

Uprising against Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council over Gaza

  • Politics
  • 12 Sep 2025
Lapid: Egypt’s Arab Force plan a 'severe blow' to normalization

Lapid: Egypt’s Arab Force plan a 'severe blow' to normalization

  • Palestine
  • 14 Sep 2025
UKLFI’s latest faux pas, like "Israel’s" recent failed attempt at regime change in Iran, is unambiguously indicative of a flailing entity on the verge of extinction. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab el-Hajj)

Zionist lawfare operation facing collapse?

  • Opinion
  • 13 Sep 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
A Hezbollah supporter who lost his sight in a pager attack carried out by "Israel" on Sept. 17, 2024, covers his eyes with a red headband inscribed with the name "Hussein" during Ashoura, July 6, 2025 (AP)
Politics

'We Have Recovered': Lebanon marks 1st anniversary of Pager Attack

The Arab neighborhood of El Za'im, on the outskirts of east Occupied Al-Quds in the West Bank, near where Israeli government says housing units will be built as part of the E1 settlement project, Thursday, August 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)
Palestine

'Israel’s' deliberate policies drive West Bank economy toward collapse

Ben & Jerry's ice cream shop, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, in Cambridge, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Politics

Ben & Jerry’s co-founder resigns over parent company curbing activism

Trump’s approval rating falls to new low in second term: Poll
US & Canada

Trump’s approval rating falls to new low in second term: Poll

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS